Representatives of Territorial Administrations of the Agency of Protected Areas Present Biodiversity Monitoring and Reporting Results.
A working meeting was held with the participation of representatives from the territorial administrations of the Agency of Protected Areas. The discussion focused on the updated 10-year biodiversity monitoring plan and the results of utilizing management plans alongside annual action plan reporting tools.
For five years now, a standardized biodiversity monitoring system has ensured the systematic collection and analysis of data across protected areas. Based on this five-year experience, the 10-year plan for 2020–2029 was updated: priority indicators were revised, the area of coverage was expanded, and new protected areas were added.
Under the monitoring plan, biodiversity research and monitoring are ongoing across 11 protected areas, where systematic observations are carried out on selected key indicators, including rare and vulnerable species. This updated approach supports a better assessment of the state of biodiversity and enables effective planning for conservation decisions.
Interim evaluations of the implementation of management plans and annual action plans were also presented at the meeting.
Special attention was given to the role of rangers in biodiversity monitoring, current challenges, and the importance of SMART and SMART Survey as modern monitoring tools.
The implementation of these systems is carried out with the support of the Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF).